Priorities At MIT Sloan

Yvonne Abraham has an interesting story to tell about MIT's Sloan School of Management. Apparently, last December the school's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Club e-mailed an invitation to everyone in the school for an end-of-semester party. In return, one of the world's future business leaders wrote:

"I don't care what you do among yourselves," one student fired back. "But I feel [sick] when you are trying to promote it . . . You may not know that but in Russia, beating gays is encouraged by vast majority of people because they insult society and nature."

In closing, the student used an antigay epithet and warned club members that if they ever dared to contact him again, "I swear you won't be able to study at Sloan for some time because you will spend it at the resuscitation department."

The school investigated, the student was deemed to be not a threat and he apologized. The school reiterated its commitment to tolerance.

But here's where it gets good: There was a long discussion among members of the class of 2008 about… Brand. How the incident impacted the school's brand. How people unhappy with the situation harmed the school's brand by talking to the media. Etc.

After a news story appeared May 5, a Sloan student sent out a group e-mail saying: "I really wonder who benefits from speaking to the press . . . One thing is sure - no one in our community benefits from causing damage to our school brand."

Fascinating reading.

Misguided loyalties [Boston Globe]